1072 Birds. 



Sandwich Tern, Sterna Cantiaca, (Sterna Boysii, Lath.) Exceed- 

 ingly common on the downs all along our sea-shore from France to 

 Holland. This bird is not shy, and even the report of a gun, that 

 greatest enemy of the feathered race, does not intimidate it. It some- 

 times nestles on the sands amongst the grass and bushes. 



Common Tern, Sterna Hirundo. Very common on our shores and 

 to a certain distance up all our rivers. This species does not unite 

 in flocks, like the preceding species, in the company of which it is 

 often seen. It also nestles with us, but more seldom than the Sand- 

 wich tern. 



Black tern, Sterna nigra. This is an inland species, and of very 

 rare occurrence at sea. It is common on most of our marshes, lakes 

 and rivers, and nestles on their banks amongst the reeds. During se- 

 vere winters many of them leave us, but they cannot migrate far, as 

 two or three days fine weather seldom fails to bring them back to 

 their habitual haunts. 



Black-headed Gull, Larus ridibundus. Very common at sea and 

 on our rivers ; in winter the greater number resort to the sea-shore, 

 and then numbers are caught by means of nets, and sold to the inha- 

 bitants of our towns, who keep them with clipped wings in their gar- 

 dens, for the purpose of destroying the worms and insects. After 

 severe storms solitary birds are sometimes seen very far inland. 



Herring-gull, Larus argeniatus. Common during the whole year 

 on our shores. The number of these birds seems to increase during 

 the winter months, at which time they are commonly seen on the 

 Scheldt. I am sorry to know nothing of its habits. 



Julian Deby. 



Lacken, July 5, 1845. 



(To be continued). 



Ferocity of a Magpie. On Wednesday morning last, about break of day, as a cart- 

 er was proceeding through Salmesbury, on his way from Preston to Blackburn-mar- 

 ket, he heard a strange noise in a field by the road-side. On looking over the hedge, 

 he saw a magpie attacking a fine half-grown rabbit, and endeavouring to pick out its 

 eyes.*- So intent was it upon its prey, that it was not until the man was within a few 

 yards of them that he could induce the murderous assailant to quit its pursuit. He 

 caught the rabbit, but it was so much injured by the fierce assaults of the magpie, 

 that it died shortly afterwords. — Lancaster Gazette, June 21, 1845. 



